Electric sign



1,627,993 May 10 1927' J PEDERSEN ELECTRIC 5 IGN Filed Feb. 27. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 10 1927. 1,627,993

J. PEDERSEN ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Feb. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V r" I m iA-AALM O /J o O k "w."

a 0 23 22 4 O Q Q o O O o o o o O O O O Inventor O O O Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca.

JOHN PEDERSEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SIG-N.

This invention relates to improvements in electric signs. y

An object of the invention resides in providing an electric sign formed by mounting a bank of electric lights in close adjacent relation and extending in vertical and longitudinal rows. and providing a circuit controller therefor. having a plurality of contacts arranged one for each light in the same relative relation with respect to the arrangement of the lights themselves, and a movable switch member operatabl'c to close the circuit through all of said contacts together with a selecting mechanism for selec tively controlling the closing of the circuit to the lamp in any desired predetermined manner.

Another object of the invention resides in providing an electric sign having a container provided with a frosted or. colored glass plate on the front thereof mounting a bank of electric lamps arranged in rows, vertically and transversely in adjacent rela-, tion, and having a compartment forming structure for shielding the light from each lamp so that it will illuminate only a portion of the front plate directly overlying the lamp, together with a suitable circuit controlling device in which a selecter plate formed of a suitable'insulating material is used for controlling an independent circuit to each lamp so that a predetermined number and arrangement of lamps may be' lighted to produce a character or design represented by similar designs formed in the selective plate.

A still further object of the invention is in providing an electric sign in which a lamp bank of electric bulbs is provided with the axis of the bulbs extending in adjacent parallel relation and with the bulbs arranged in rows in columns, together with a controlling apparatus, comprising a stationary contact bank having the contacts for each lamp arranged in the same relation as the lamps in the bank, together with a movable switch member adapted to close the circuit in a single operation with all of said stationary contacts and a circuit selecting member adapted to prevent all contacts engaging therewith from making circuit with the movable switch member so that the circuit is disposed through only a limited number of bulbs on the operation of the switch memher to provide a design represented by the lighted lamps representing the design on the selecter plate.

The invention comprehends numerousother objects residing in the specific construction and the arrangement of the parts, which are more particularly pointed out in the following detailed description, and in the claims directed to a preferred form of construction. it being understood however, that various changes in the size, shape and arr'angement of parts will be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

In the drawings'forming part of this application:

Figure 1 is a front view of the sign unit with the semi-transparent cover plate broken away to show the lamps and the shields therefor, and with a number of the lamps and shields removed to show the sockets in clrcuit connection for each lamp,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the circuit controller for the sign unit,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the controller unit,

Fig. 5 is a plan view' of the circuit selecter for the circuit controller,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one of the stationary contact points of the circuit controller,

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram illustrating the manner in which the circuit to the lamp and a source of power is controlled, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a portion of the sign unit.

This invention provides a sign unit which may be used either singly or a number of such units used collectively in forming a complete sign. It is adapted more particularly to provide a sign unit for displaying a letter character or similar figure or designation. so that a number of the units may be used to complete the letters in a word comprising the sign.

The sign unit of this invention is indicated generally by the numeral 1 in Fig. 1, each sign unit being controlled by a suitable circuit controller 2 shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, which may or may not be mounted directly on the unit 1 in accordance with the location in a desirable manner of using the $1 'l he unit 1 includes a casing 3 preferably of rectangular formation having an open front end or face provided with a bead -t spaced from the free edge portion of this open front end to provide an abutment a ainst which a frosted or colored glass ate 5 may be positioned to form the front ace of the unit for displaying the. desired character or design which is retained in position by a frame member 6 removably at tached to the casing 3 in any suitable or desired manner.

A partition wall '7 is positioned inwardly a slight distance from the rear edge of the casing to provide a substantially large front compartment, and a shallow rear compartment 8. The rear compartment is closed by ahinged door 9 providing access thereto when desired. A plurality of lamp sockets 10 are arranged in rows vertically and transversely as shown in Fig. 1. in adjacent relation over the entire partition wall 7 within the forward compartment. One terminal of each of these lamp sockets It) is electrically connected to a main circuit connection 11 through the use of a plurality of branch circuit connections 12 connected to the main circuit connection 11. Thisprovides a common circuit connection for each lamp with one terminal of the source of power for lighting the lamp while the circuit from each lamp to the opposite terminal of the source of power is made througlnan independent wire connection for each lamp as represented by the numeral 13. These circuit wires 13 extend through openings adjacent each of the sockets into the rear compartment 8 of the sign unit where they are grouped and may be extended through a multi-cable connection to the circuit controller 2 in any suitable manner.

The circuit controller 2 includes a base plate 14 to which is secured a rectangular casing 15 having a cover plate 16 applied to the end thereof. The upper side of the casing 15 is provided with a cut out portion 16 to provide an opening therein and a section of the cover is removed as indicated at 17. A block member 18 is removably mounted in the casing 15 against the base plate 14 and mounts a plurality of station ary contact elements 19 corresponding in number to the number of lamps in the sign unit 1 and in which the stationary contacts are positioned in'the same order and relation as the lamps in the sign unit.

Each of these stationary contacts 19 is of similar construction as illustrated in Fig. 6 and includes a tubular body having a central partition wall 20 to provide a spring chamber 21 which receives the coiled spring 22 and the contact plunger 23 normally moved outwardly from the tubular body and limited in its outward movement by the head on the inner end of the contact plunger, cooperating with the-inwardly turned end of the tube as indicated at 24.

'lhe,opposite end of the tubular body of the stationary contact 19 forms a socket for receiving a plug 25 havinga pair of resilient contact fingers adapted to normally separate, and which are required to he forced together for entry into the socket of the stationary contact so as to frictionally engage in the socket for making circuit connections therewith for the wire 13 attached thereto, there being one of these plugs 25 for each wire 13.

These plugs 25 permit interchangeable engagement of the wires 13 with stationary contact members 19 so that they may be readily plugged into the proper socket for the lamps in corresponding position.

A movable switch member in the form of a plate substantially of the same size and shape as the block 18 is indicated at 26 together with a cooperating plate member 27 which are slidably mounted on a plurality of guide rods 23 carried by the body 18. (oiled springs 29 are mounted on the guide rods between the movable switch member and the .body 18 normally serving to move the switch member away from the body and the ends of the contact plungers of the stationary contacts. This movable switch member carries a holder 30 having the upper and lower ends formed with return bends 31 as shown in Fig. 3 and bracing the upper and lower edges of the cooperating plates 27. The side edges of the holder are formed with guidewa 's 32 and are adapted to slidably receive the selector plates 33 as clearly shown in Fig. 5 which is formed with a.

plurality of openings 34 and of suitable insulating material for selectively controlling contacts between the contact plungers of the stationary contacts and the cooperating plate 27. i 4

A pair of bar members 35 are mounted in spaced parallel relation on opposite sides of the frame 36 inclosing the body member 18 and at their free ends. carry the shafts 37 which rotatably supports the operating cam 38 for the movable switch member pro Vided with the operating handle 39 extend ing through the cut away portions 16 and 17 of the casing and the end plate.

The lamps 40 mounted in the sockets 10 are provided with cylindrical shields 41 as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, these shields extending into contact with the semi-transparent face plate 5 of the unit so as to prevent the light from one lamp illuminating any portion of the surface beyond the lamp or the shield 41. These shields are preferably secured together to form a unit which may be removed from the casing 3 after removal of the front plate 5.

In the diagrammatic showing of the invention in Fig. 7, only a few of the lamps are shown merely for the purpose of illustration to indicate the circuit,connections with the lamps from the wire 11 and the connection 13 to the stationary contact 19 with which the movable switch member 26 cooperates in closing the circuit' from the opposite side. of the source of energy through the wire 43 which may be controlled by a switch 44. the circuit being selectively controlled by the selector plate 33 which is formed of suitable insulating material.

lVith a sign unit and controller of theabove described character, a plurality of selecter plates 33 are made with the openings positioned to form suitable letter characters as illustrated in Fig. 5. the openings being arranged in a predetermined relation in the selecter plates corresponding with the relation of the stationary contacts .19 of the controller, so that when the selecter plate is positioned in the movable switch member as shown in Fig. 3. and the operating lever 39 moves in the direction of the arrow. the selecter plate will select and permit the stationary contacts arranged in the positions of. the opening 34 to project through these openings. and engage the cooperating plate of the movable switch member indicated at 27 for closing the circuit to the lamps representing the letter character of the selecter plate.

The remaining contact plungers of the stationary contacts will be engaged by the selecter plate 33 and in view of its being constructed of insulating material, will prevent the circuit to these remaining lamps from being closed. With a sufficient number of pallets containing desired letter characters or other designations, it will be seen that any variety of variation may be had by interchanging the selecter plates for a suitable character or design and that the design shown on the selecter plate will be duplicated by the illumination of the selecter stationary contact members when the lamps in the con tacts are ar anged in the same prcdetcrn'iined relation.

In a complete sign structure. any number.

to display desired words ordesigns. It will thus be seen that a sign unit has been pro- 'vided with a substantially simple controller in which the character displayed by the illumination of the sign unit may be changed simply by the interchanging of one selecter plate for another desired selecter plate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In circuit controlling means for an electric sign. comprising a base plate. a casing mounted on said base plate, a block member mounted in said casing against said base plate, a plurality of resilient contact members mounted in said base plate in predetermined relation, guide rods mounted in said block member and projecting in spaced parallel relation Within said casing. a movable switch member mounted on said guide rods, a slide holder carried by said movable switch member, a pattern plate movably mounted in said slide holder and-movable with said movable switch member adapted to control the engagement of said switch member with said resilient: contacts, means on said guide rods for normally holding said movable switch member away from said resilient contacts, and manually operable means movable in said casing adapted to move said movable switch member into engagement with certain of said resilient contacts.

2. In circuit controlling means for an elec plate, a plurality of resilient contact members mounted in said base plate in predetermined relation, guide rods mounted in said block member and projecting in spaced parallel relation within said casing. a movable switch member mounted on said guide rods, a slide holder carried by said movable switch member, a pattern plate carried by said movable switch member. said pattern plates being removably mounted in said slide holder and movable with said ll'lOVttblG switch memher for controlling engagement of said resilient contact with said movable switch member. a shaft. extending transversely in said casing, a cam member mounted on said shaft. and adapted to engage said movable switch member. manually operable means for rotating said cam member on said shaft to operate said switch member. and means formed on the casing for limiting the rotation ot said cam member.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature. JOHN PEDERSEN. 

